commission to direct him 10. But diuers learned Protestants finding no colorable answer to make to this demand Protestāts confesse that their Ministers vvant laufull sending and authoritie do plainly confesse as Sadeel a Minister of Geneua testifieth in a book written against such that their ministers are legitima vocatione destituti destitute of lavvfull calling Others though not so plainly do graunt the same in saying that such as ate fit may teach the word without sending Which Caluin insinuateth in cap. 13. Actor wher he saieth that we need no testimonie from heauen that God sendeth some Because saith he vvhome God hath indued vvith sufficient gift seing they are framed and fashioned by his hand we receaue them giuen to vs of him no otherwise than as the prouerb is from hand to hand VVhom Calvin allovveth to preach vnsent And to this same end tended Bilsons complaint l. of obed pag. 300. that the wicked saith he alwaies asked the godly for their authoritie as the Ievvs asked S Ihon Baptist and Christ Bilson And Ib. So long as we teach saith he the same doctrin vvhich the Apostles did vve haue the same povver vvhich they had And pag. 301. He that defendeth truth is armed vvith authoritie sufficient though all the vvorld vvere against him And that a man may preach without commission he bringeth a similitude that when a cittie is on fire or entred by enemies euerie one may crie Alarme though he be no officer and pag. 310. and 311. he produceth the example of Frumentius and Aedesius who taught infidels the Christian faith hauing no sending to that purpose 11. Here thou seest Gentle Reader that confessed by learned Protestants which I intended in this chapter to wit that Luther his first partners were not sent to preach ether of God or man but seing forsooth the Church al on fire with idolatrie See Bal. Cent. 6. c. 85 Cent. 8. cap. 100. Manie principal Ministers preached vnsent The vvāt of sending in Luther Caluin and such like vvold alone conuince them to be false Prophets entred by enemies and thinking thē selues fit for that purpose came rūning of their own accord crying Alarme which Luther did not stick to bost of saying as Caluin reporteth l. de reformat p. 463. Behold I call my self Preacher and with this title haue I adorned my self And who readeth the liues of our first Protestant preachers ether in Bale or Fox shall see that euerie one of them fel to preach vnsent of anie And the forsaid Declaration of disciplin p. 141. saith plainly that manie of their worthie mē for the loue they had to the Gospel thaught it lawful for thē in these times to take vpō thē this Apostolical office 12. But this alone that Luther Caluin such like did preach and administer sacraments as Pastors being not sent nor hauing authoritie giuen them therto wold suffice to cōuince them to haue bene false prophets vsurpers theeues though no other exceptiō cold be takē against them For to preach that is as Pastor to teach without lauful sending or Commission is flatly against Scripture against the example of Christ his Apostles and all the Pastors of Gods Church against reason and Finally against the doctrin and practise now observed of Protestants It is flat against Scripture For Rom. 10. S. Paul asketh how shall they preach vnles they be sent VVant of sending the verie brand of false prophets In so much as both the Prophets Christ and the Apostles do brād false Prophets with this mark of coming vnsent I sent not saith God Hierem. 23. Prophets they ran As manie saith Christ Ioan. 10. as came of them selues are theeus robers Some going out of vs saie the Apostles Actor 15. haue trobled you with words whom we commanded not Loe how the holie ghost hath branded false Prophets with this note of coming vnsēt It is also against the example of Christ the Apostles For of Christ it is said Hebr. 5. Nether doth anie take honor to him self but who is called of God as Aaron So Christ did not clarifie him self to be made a Bishop And Ioan. 17. and 20. Christ him self auoucheth his sending by his Father And of the Apostles it is manifest that they preached not before they were sent of Christ To preach vnsent is to imitate Core Dathan ande Abiron Nether can Protestants produce anie Pastor of Gods Church since the Apostles time which preached before he was sent And to do the contrarie is not to imitate Christ and his Apostles but that schismaticall crue of Core Dathā Abirō whome the earth therfore swallowed hell deuoured See S. Cipr. lib. de simplic Prelat Tertul. de prascrip It is also against reason For as Pastor to preach and administer Gods Sacraments is an act of spirituall and supernaturall authoritie which none can haue vnles it be giuen vnto him and learning vertue or other talents what soeuer wherwith a man is fit to execute such authoritie are things far different from it as is both euident by it self and appeareth in woemen who may haue as much learning vertue and other habilities as some men yet none of them can as Pastors preach or administer the Sacraments because they are incapable of Pastorall authoritie Moreouer to be a Preacher and Pastor is to be Gods Embassador and steward or dispenser of his spirituall goods and misteries And if none can be Embassador of an earthly Prince vnles he be sent none steward of his house vnles he be apointed none officer ouer his people vnles he be constituted How can any be Embassador to God without sending steward of his goods without apointing gouernor of his people without his authoritie And I maruel how Protestants can call Luther Latimer and such like their Apostles and ether confesse that they were not sent at all but came of their owne good wills or can not shew of whome they were sent seing that the verie name of an Apostle signifieth one sent 13. Finally Protestants them selues condemne such preachers as come vnsent Bilson him self l. cit we detest saith he these that inuade the pastorall function without lavvfull vocation and election It is not lavvfull saith the English Clergie in the 23. Article of their faith for any man to take vpon him the office of publik preaching or administring the Sacraments No man saith their Synod in Haga Art 3. ought to take vpon him to preach or administer the Sacraments vvithout a lavvfull calling although he be a Doctor or a Deacon or an Elder And their Synod at Rochel 1607. Art 32. none must intrude him self into the gouernment of the Church Thus teach all Heretiks after they haue gotten possession But before their owne aptnes and talents the glorie of God and the saluation of soules and truth of their doctrine was warrant and authoritie ynough for them to preach as appeareth by what hath bene cited out of Bilson Caluin and others
to remaine in the Pope Third reason for proofe of S. Austins mission 4. Thirdly I argue thus Who hath authority to gouern the whole Church of God hath authority to send Preachers to all Nations But Saint Gregory had authority to gouern the whole Church Ergo he had authority to send Preachers c. The Maior needeth no proofe The Minor I prooue thus Saint Peter had authority to gouern the whole Church euen as it includeth the rest of the Apostles But Saint Gregory succeeded though not immediatly Saint Peter in that authority Protestant graunt euery Apostle to haue bene Head of the rest of the church Ergo That Saint Peter had authority ouer the whole Church besides the Apostles the Protestants do graunt For they teach that Christ made euery one of them Head and Gouernor of all the Church besides them selues D. Whitaker lib. 5. pag. 365. cont Dur. Quis Petrum c. VVho confesseth not that Peter was the foundation of the Church seeing that it is common to all the Apostles And lib. 9. pag. 745. Super Petrum c. Vpon Peter is the Church founded but not vpon him onely Et Petro totius c. And to Peter is the care of the whole Church committed but not to him onely Quia hoc commune c. Because this was common with the rest of the Apostles as the Scripture and Fathers most clearly testifie Declarat of discipl print at Geneua 154◠Christ cōmēded to Peter all his flock Behould how he confesseth that both Scripture and Fathers testifie and that most clearly that the care of the whole Church was committed to Peter D. Reynolds Confer pag. 32. As the name of foundation is giuen to the Apostles Apoc. 21. so the twelue foundations do prooue them twelue heads Ibid. All the Apostles were heads Item pag. 26. Christ promised to build his Church not vpon Peters doctrine onely but vpon his person in some sorte And pag. 28. Christs words to Peter import this sense Vpon thee I will build my Church And Bilson lib. of Obedience pag. 87. granteth The same saith Fulk Annotat. Mat. 16. Ioan. 1. that the Rock on which the Church is promised to be built Matth. 16. was Peters person and that the Church was built vpon him but not vpon him onely but the rest of the Apostles too And if passion did not blynd their eyes they would see that the Scripture and Fathers do as plainly testifie that Saint Peter was Head of the whole Church euen as it includeth the rest of the Apostles as they testifie that euery Apostle was Head of the rest of the Church beside themselues S. Peter as plainly ouer the Apostles as ouer the rest of Christiās For the places of Scripture out of which they do or can prooue that euery Apostle was head of all other Christians as yow may see in Whitaker loco cit pag. 147. and Reynolds loco cit is Matth. 28. where euery Apostle is bidden to teach all Nations and Ephes 2. where Christians are said to be founded vpon the Apostles And Apoc. 21. where the twelue Apostles are called the foundations of the Church by which places they do prooue and well that euery Apostle was made Head ouer euery Christian and the whole Church beside themselues because there is no exception made of any man whome they are not to feede nor of any Christian in the Church which they founded And therfore in the commission giuen by Christ to euery Apostle in the word Nations are included all other beside them selues And in the speech of the Apocalyps vnder the word Church are vnderstood all other Christians whatsoeuer And cōsequently euery Apostle is by the plain verdict of Scripture Preacher to all Nations and Founder of euery Christian beside them selues In which authority because their Apostleship did consist Hovv some Fathers say that others vvere equal in the Apostleship vvith S. Peter and therin all the Apostles were equall to S. Peter for euery one of them was as well sent to all Natiōs with authority to found Churches euery where as he was some Fathers say that other Apostles had parem potestatē with S. Peter as Anaclet dist 21. c. Cū in nouo Cypr. de vnit Eccl. Chrys in 1. Gal. that the Church is equaly foūded on all the Apostles because ouer the rest of the Church besides the Apostles euery one of them had equall authority with Peter the Church not including the Apostles was equaly foūded on euery one of them 5. But by the same maner and in the same euidency that Protestants do prooue that euery Apostle was Head ouer all the Church besides them selues do we prooue that Saint Peter was head ouer all the Church euen as it includeth the rest of the Apostles For as in their cōmission Teach all Nations and the other speech of them Foundations of the Church Proued by Scripture that S. Peters commission includeth the rest of the Apostles all are included beside them selues because none are excepted as they are by reasō of that relatiue opposition which is there found betwene Teachers Taught Founders and Founded therfor euery one of the Apostles being in this speech called a teacher foundatiō none of them in the same speech can be ment to be taught or founded him self So in like sort in S. Peters Commission Ioan 21. Feede my sheepe Luc. 22. Confirme thy brethren and in Christs words of him Mat. 16. Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock will I build my Church No one Apostle or other besides him self who alone is spoken to and is in them apointed Feeder and Confirmer and Foundation is any more excepted than any other Christian is excepted in the Commission of the Apostles in generall And therfore are they as well and as clearly included in his Cōmission vnder the name Sheepe Brethren Church as other Christians are included in theirs vnder the name of Nations and Church And therfor Saint Bernard said de Consider Nihil excipitur vbi nihil distinguitur There being no distinction in these words of Christ my Church my Sheepe thy Brethren made from the rest of the Apostles they are not excepted but included in them Wherfore if Protestants will here admit their commō rule of expounding one place of Scripture by an other they must confesse that Scripture as clearly maketh S. Peter Head of the Apostles as it maketh them Head of all other Christians Secondly prooued by confession of Protestāts Secondly I prooue by confession of Protestāts that Christ in his words My Church My Sheepe Thy Brethren spoken to Saint Peter included the rest of the Apostles For D. Reynolds Conferenc p. 385. saith that Christ by My Church Mat. 16. meant generally the Catholick Church all the chosen But the Apostles were chosen yea the chefest of them And p. 386. It is the Church of Gods elect and chosen which Christ doth call in this place Math 16. my
c. 16. Cambd. p. 178. Founded tvvo Archb. tvvo Bishop fiue Cathedral Churches six monasteries Est-angles and the Kingdom of the North and preached and founded Churches in the fifth Kingdom of Mercia at Lincoln in the sixt of Westsaxons at Cernel in Dorsetshier Founded the two Archbishopricks of Canterbury York and the Bishopricks of London and Rochester erected the Cathedral Churches of Canterbury Rochester London Lincoln and York Beda sup Cambd. p. 490. Capgrau in Augustino Ealred in Edvvardo and the Collegiat Church in Southwel Began the monasteries of the Austins and Christs Church in Canterbury of Westminster in London of Ely in Cābridgshier of Cernel in Dorsetshier Wherby it appeareth that not onely a few Saxons as Sutclif speaketh but the whole nations of English English Scottish VVelch Irish greatly bound to S. Austin and his fellovves Scottish Welch and Irish were infinitly behouldē to Saint Austin and his fellowes for leauing their Contrie for comming so far a iorney as is from Rome for venturing into a barbarous and vnknown Contry as ours then was for hazarding their liues among fierse and sauage people for recalling so many Kings and Kingdoms from Paganisme to Christianitie for laboring so much to reduce Hereticks for erecting so many Episcopal Sees and Monasteries and finally for spending their liues here among vs. And if any parte of this land tooke no great commoditie by them it was not to be attributed to them but to the peoples owne negligence and obstinacy D. VVhitak more gratefull than Sutclif Wherfor D. Whitaker as far more gratfull than Sutclif lib. 5. cont Dur. pag. 394. speaking of our conuersion by S. Gregory meanes saith That he did vs a great benefit we will alwaies gratfully remember And now hauing shewed that S. Austin was the first Preacher of Christs faith to our Nation in England let vs see what qualities he had fit for so high a function to wit what learning and vertue CHAP. IIII. That Saint Austin was a great Clerk and excellent Diuine SOme Ministers are so spitefull against S. Austin our Apostle as they seeke all occasions they can to dishonor him Wher vpon Bale cent 13. c. 1. saith he was ignorant in holy scriptures and the questions which he sent to S. Gregory and are extant in S. Beda lib. 1. c. 27. were most vnsauorie and voide of all knowledg of the Gospel and law of God But no maruell if he and suchlike condemne S. Austin as vnlearned who dare condemne the gloriousest lights of Christianitie the greatest Doctors of Gods Church of blindnes and ignorance But how great a Clerk S. Austin was Argumēts of S. Austins great learning though we had no euident testimony we might our selues gather by many waies For as touching his wit and capacitie of learning it may suffice that he was an Italian and Roman His vvit whome in wit we know to excell The place where he studied was Rome His place of studie where at that tyme as Ioan. Diacon in vit Gregor lib. 2. c. 13. Rerum sapientiâ cū septem artibus floruit His Maister His Maister was S. Gregory him self one of the foure Doctors of the Church as witnesse S. Beda Epi. ad Ceolwolph Regem Ethelwerd lib. 2. c. 1. Malmesb. lib. 1. Pont. p. 195. Amongst his schole-fellowes one was as it seemeth that great Doctor of Spaine S. Isidore His scoole fellovves For as Genebr and Sigebert in Chron. do write he was scholer to Saint Gregory His endeuour And for S. Austins indeuor to attaine to learning for proofe therof it may suffice that he was a Monk of Saint Gregoreis owne Monastery where men were not doubtles suffered to loose their tyme brought vp there vnder regular discipline and at last made Praepositus eiusdem Monasterij Superior of the same Monastery All which testifieth S. Gregory him self lib. 7. Epi. 30. 112. and lib. 2. c. 13. and S. Beda lib. 1. c. 27. His profit And finally for his profit in learning it may suffice that it appeareth by the choice made of him among so many learned men as then were in Rome and made by so great a Doctor as S. Gregory was and so careful to chuse sufficient men and made for so great a matter as to be Dux verbi First Preacher of Christian saith to Infidells and conuerter of learned hereticks For if S. Gregory required so great skill in euery Pastor of soules as he wrote lib. Pastor that Gouernment of soules is the arte of arts How much would he require in him to whome he committed the care of all the Infidells and Hereticks in so great a Kingdom as this is And besides this the care of S. Gregory to send hither a great learned man may apeare by the like great care which Pope Vitalian had afterward as is to be seene in Beda lib. 4. c. 1. to prouide a great and famous Deuine for the Archbishoprick of Canterbury euen after all England was conuerted For neither was Pope Vitalian more ready to furnish England with learned Pastors thā S. Gregory was nor was he more able to iudg of their learning nor had he more choice of learned men If therfor Pope Vitalian sent hither such learned men as S. Theodor and S. Adrian were what shall we think of S. Austin and his fellowes sent by S. Gregory 2. But besides these collections of ours we haue a testimony of S. Austins great learning Omni exceptione maius S. Gregories testimonie of S. Austins great learning For S. Gregory his Maister who best knew him and was best able to iudg and for his holines and rare humilitie was least likly to lye or praise his scholler beyond his deserts writing to King Ethelbert in Beda lib. 1. c. 32. and exhorting him to follow S. Austin in all points saith He was replenished with knowledg of the holy scriptures Ethelvverd And Ethelwerd one of our anciētest historiographers lib. 2. c. 1. saith he was diuino eloquio nimis instructus S. Iustus great learning excedingly instructed in the scriptures Iustus one of S. Austins fellowes and successors Pope Boniface writing to him saith He had brought vp King Edbald with great learning and instruction of holy scriptures as is to be seene in Beda l. 2. c. 8. And doubt we that S. Austin had not done the lyke to King Ethelbert S. Honorius great learning And of Honorius another of S. Austins fellowes Beda lib. 5. c. 20. saith he was a mā profoundly learned in holy scripture And why shoud we think that S. Austin was inferior to him Besides S. Beda lib. 1. c. 22. speaking of the British Preachers whome he accounted most learned men yet comparing them with S. Austin and his fellows saith that these were more worthy Preachers And besides these testimonies of S. Austins great learning we haue an euident proofe by the effect therof For albeit there were among the Britons many viri
Hierusalem but contrariwise condemned by Pope Innocent and Zozimus he stayed and for any thing I finde ther dyed For if him self had brought his heresy into Britany Beda lib. 1. cap. 17. Would neuer haue ascribed the bringing of it to one Agricola long after And therfor I doubt of that which Bale cent 1. cap. 38. citeth out of Walden that Pelagius was à suis Britannis pulsus in exilium ob heresim vnles by driuing into banishment he ment keeping out of the Contrey as perhaps Pelagius was Besides Innocent saith not that he had not authoritie to call Pelagius wheresoeuer he were yea he insinuateth the cōtrary but that Pelagius if he were obstinat would not come at his call and that others that dwelt nerer to him myght do it more conueniently than he who dwelt so far of as Rome is from Palestine His words are these Qui Pelagius si confidit c. VVhich Pelagius if he trust and knowe that he deserueth not to be condemned of vs because he reiectets that which he taught he should not be sent for of vs but he himselfe should make haste that he may be absolued For if he think yet as he did when will he present himselfe to our iudgement vpon any letters whatsoeuer knowing that he shal be condemned And if he were to be sent for that might be better done of them who are nerer than so far of as we are But there shall want no care of him if he will be cured 3. Bilsons proofe out of the Britons deniall of subiection hath no more color or reason than a few rebells deniall of subiection hath to prooue a Prince to haue no authoritie ouer a parte of his Kingdome Cathol Britons euer tooke the Pope to be their superior For their Catholick Ancestors did euer acknowledg themselues vnder the Pope his iurisdiction as appeareth both by that which hath bene said before as also because the Archbishops of the Britons not long before Saint Austins comming were the Popes Legats as writeth Galfrid a man of good account among Protestants lib. 9. cap. 12. Dubritius saith he Primat of Britannie and Legat of the See Apostolick was famous with such great pietie And had Palls from Rome as is euident in the life of Saint Sampson Nether did the heretick Britons refuse to be subiect to Saint Austin because they thought Saint Gregorie to haue no authoritie to apoint an Archbishop ouer them for vndoubtedly they would haue alleadged this as a reason of their refusal if they had so thought it but onely because as Saint Beda reporteth lib 2. c. 2. VVhy the Britons refused to be vnder S. Austin they sayd with them selues If he would not so much as arise to vs If wee should subiect our selues to him he would despise vs. If he had risen to them they were determined to subiect them selues to him as Beda there saith which they neuer would haue done if they had doubted his authority insufficient Secondly I prooue it by reason grounded in scripture Secōd reason in proofe of S. Austins mission The authority which Christ left in his Church to preach to all Nations he gaue to euery Apostle as appeareth by his words Matth. 28. Docete omnes gentes Teach all Nations And Protestants who teach euery Apostle to haue bene head of the rest of the Church besids them selues do not deny Therfore this authority must remaine in some successor of one or other of those Apostles and must not be onely in the whole Church because it must descend to some such as Christ gaue it vnto Authoritie to send preachers to all nations must remaine in some one Bishop Besides if authority to send to all Nations were not in some one Bishop or other but in the whole Church onely when soeuer there were Preachers to be sent to Infidells ther ought to be a generall Councell called which were both absurd and was neuer practised in Gods Church But authority to preach or send preachers to England was more likly to be in Saint Gregory than any other Bishop For touching the Patriarchs or Bishops of the East it is a thing vnheard of that any of them should haue iurisdiction ouer England And as for the Bishops of France certain it is they neuer had any authority ouer England And the same I may say of Scotland Ireland Flanders Spaine and all other Contries The doubt onely may be of Britons because they once had authority ouer the Contry No Bishop could sēd preachers to Englād but the Pope which the English possessed But that could yeald them no spirituall authority ouer the English in Saint Austins tyme because nether was the English euer subiect to the Britons nor was ther in Saint Austins tyme any British Bishop aliue who had had any diocese within England Therfore they could at that tyme clayme no more authority to send Preachers into England than the Bishops of Wales can now Wherfore if this authority was then in any Bishop as needes it must be it was in the Bishop of Rome who euer since the primitiue tyme of the Church hath vsed to send preachers hither as is before shewed And if any require the Princes approbation for the lawfullnes of a Preachers mission this also S. Austin had as is euident by S. Beda l. 1. Protestāts confesse the Pope to haue bene the cheef B. of Christendom D. vvhitak c. 25. Besides Protestants confesse the Pope to haue bene alwaies the cheefe Patriarch Bishop of Christēdom Saith D. Whitaker lib. 6. cont Dur. p. 464. I will not deny that the Bishop of Rome was Primat of all Bishops And p. 148. Rome the Seat of the first Patriarch The See of Rome saith Caluin l. 4. c. 7. § 26. Caluin was in tymes past the cheefe of all Iuell art 4. diu 16. Iuel Of the Patriarches the Pope had the first place both in Councell and out of Councell And. 26. Of the Patriarchs the Bishop of Rome was euer the first And .32 Victor sayth that Rome is the cheefe or head ouer all others which of our parte for that tyme is not denyed Bishop Bilson pag. 60. Bilson saith it is well knowne that the Pope was the cheefe of the Patriarchs D. Reinolds Confer pag. 568. Among all the Apostolick Churches Reinolds the Roman for honor and credit had the chiefty And 554. Chrysostome and Basile gaue the Pope a supreheminence of authority pag. 368. Cyprian giueth a speciall title of honor and preheminence to the Church of Rome The Fathers apply the name of the Rock to the Bishop of Rome Finally Fox in his Acts pag. 18. saith that in Lyrinensis Pascasin Iustinian Athanasius Hierome Ambrose Austin Theodoret and Chrysost S. Peter with his successors is called Head of the Church Cheefe of Bishops Prince of the Apostles And the like confesse all other Protestants Therfor if authority of sending preachers remaine in any Bishop it is most lykly
Luther had testimonie of hâ—s â—â—other Zuinglius that he was imperitus vel nimis rudis Theologus an vnskilfull or too too rude a Diuine S. Austin reiected no part of Gods word Luther reiected diuers S. Austin taught no absurd doctrins Luther by the iudgment of Protestants taught many S. Austin ouercame the Britons amongst whome were plures viri doctissimi Luther as Catholiks write was ouercome in publick disputatioÌ„s of one Eckius S. Austin taught no heresies Luther as Protestants confesse taught diuers Finally S. Austin reuoked none of the doctrin which he once taught Luther reuoked coÌ„fessed his ignorance in many and weightie points Besides all this S. Austin was nearer to Christs time by 900. yeares and more than Luâ—her and therfor more likly to learn what Christ taught thaÌ„ Luther who was so long after Now therfor gentle reader lift vp the Ballance of thy iudgment with an euen hand considering that vpon this choice goeth thie eternall saluation or damnatioÌ„ weigh these two men equally and iudg whether is more full not of words or braggs but of learning Whether is liklier to know what Christ taught or to haue erred of ignoraÌ„ce VVhether were likly to haue bene blind whether to haue seene CHAP. II. S. Austin and Luther weighed according to their vertue or vice 1. THe due consideration of the vertuous life of the first Preacher or founder of Religion in any Country may giue to prudent men great light to descern whether his ReligioÌ„ be good or bad come from God or from the Diuel For albeit vicious men do often times preach and continew the religion which vertuous men first founded as we see that the Scribes and Pharisies in Christs time taught the Doctrin of Moyses WherupoÌ„ he bad the people to do what they taught and in the day of iudgment there wil be reprobats who haue prophesied in Christs name yet notwithstanding if we looke into the scriptures or Ecclesiastical Histories we shall not finde but that those whome God sent to be first founders of his religion in any Nation or Contrie were when he sent them vertuous and godly men Such a one was Moyses by whome he founded his religion amongst the Ieâ—es Mitissimus hominum qui sunt super terram The most mildest man that was on earth Such a one was S. Iohn Baptist whome he chose to first sound out the happy tidings of Christian religion to the world Such were his Apostles who forsooke all and followed him euen Iudas when he chose him for an Apostle as S. Cyril in 6. Ioan. Hierom l. 3. cont Pelag. and others teach S. Hierom proueth it inuincibly out of these words Ioan. 17. Father whome thou hast giuen to me I haue kept and none hath perished but the sonne of perdition For if God the Father gaue Iudas to Christ surely he was then good And it may be prooued out of the 54. Psalme where he is prophetically called a man of one mind said to haue walked in Gods house with conseÌ„t And before Christ would licence the Apostles to preach to Nations he bid them abide in Ierusalem til they were indued with vertue from aboue and made them as S. Paul speaketh Idoneos Ministros Noui Testamenti Fit Ministers of the new Testament Such also were those whome we call the Apostles of certain Nations as to omitt others S. Patrick of Ireland S. Ninian of Pictland S. Palladius the first Bishop of Scotland And the cause of this proceeding of God in chusing vertuous men to be the first promulgators of his lawe in any Contrie is manifould First because it is more honorable for him to chuse for instrumeÌ„ts of so notable a work of his as is the conuersion of a Nation from infidelitie to faith and from seruice of the Diuel to his seruice men that are like to him selfe rather than men that are like to the Diuel his owne children rather than the Diuels children his owne seruants rather than the Diuels slaues Secondlie it is more effectual for the end which God intendeth For albeit God could coÌ„uert a Nation to his faith without vertue or miracles of the Preacher or any other external help Yet because he disponit omnia suauiter disposeth al things sweetly he vseth these outward helps wherwith he knoweth men to be most draune to embrace his religion which are vertue and miracles Of which twoe though miracles be verie potent yet vertue is more poureful as S. Chrisostom sheweth by the comparison of S. Iohn Baptist and Appollonius Tyaneus Of whome the one wrought no miracles as the scriptur saith yet by his vertue stroke the Iewes into such admiration of him as they doubted whether he were not the Messias of the world And the other though he wrought many wonders yet had fewe or no followers And S. Chrisost doutâ—th not to say that if the Apostles had not liued vertuosly notwitstanding their great miracles the world would haue counted them but seducers And in the conuersion of our English Nation albeit the miracles of S. Austin and his fellowes did cooperat therto yet S. Beda l. 1. cap. 26. attributeth it cheefly almost wholly to the vertue holines of their life Thirdly this course is most proportionable agreable to the end for which God sendeth Preachers to any Contry For as the end of his seÌ„ding is vertue to be engrafted in that Nation so the meane most agreaâ—â— and sutable therto is vertue in the first preacher Wherfore howsoeuer the Successors or as S. Paule termeth them the Pedagogs in Christ be yet the first Preachers or Fathers of a Nation who according to Saint Pauls phrase had begotteÌ„ them in Christ ought to be very holy and vertuous men 2. And the contrary course of sending wicked vicious men for first preachers of doctrine is vsuall to the Diuell and wel be seeming him For albeit vertuous men may vpon ignorance fall into some one or more errors yet câ—n they not so longe as they keepe their xertue be enticed by the Diuel to forsake their true faith and worship of God vpon which all vertue is grounded But those who as Saint Paul speaketh of the Hereticks Hymeneus and Philetus haue already made shipwrack of a good conscience and abaÌ„doned vertue those the Diuell puffeth vp with a proude conceit of their owne learning and picketh out for Sectmaisters for teachers of new doctrines And therfore howsoeuer Archereticks may for a time dissemble vertue as S. Austin writeth of Pelagius yet mendacia as S. Cyprian writeth non diu fallunt Their Hypocrisy will not diu proficere sed insipientia eorum manifesta fiet Simon Magus before he became an Archereticke would haue bought Gods grace for mony Arius before he became an Archeretick was noted to be ambitious Berengarius before he broched his heresie was noted of enuie at other mens glorie Wicklef before he began his doctrine was noted of anger as writeth Godwin in the life of Archb. Simon
by the Puritans who professe to be the pure Caluinists And for continuance of Luthers doctrine himself had so small hope therof as he could not forbeare words of despaire For in 3. Galat. fol. 154. I feare saith he the proper true vse of the law wil be after our time troden vnder foote vtterly abolished by the enemies of the truth For euen now whiles we are yet liuing and employ all diligence to set forth the office and vse both of the law and the Gospel ther be very few yea euen among those that wil be accounted Christians make a profession of the Gospel with vs Luther forseeth that he shal be forsaken that vnderstaÌ„d these things rightly VVhat think yee then shall come to passe when vve are dead gon And fol. 201. VVhich thing that Protestants should not acknowledg Luther for ther Pastor shall one day come to passe if not vvhilst vve liue yet vvhen vve are dead and gon Sectaries vvhen vve be dead shall possesse those Churches which we haue won and planted by our Ministerie So Engl. Minister And the like small hope our English Ministers haue of the continuance of their religioÌ„ as appeareth by the Declarat of Disciplin printed at Geneua 1580. I am afrayd saith that Author lest God be come into England as into some Castle in the way of his progresse for a small time Caluin in his preface before his Cathechisme did so despaire of posteritie of successioÌ„ in his religioÌ„ as saith he And Caluin I dare scarce think therof Their coÌ„sciences telling them all that their doctrin is not built vpoÌ„ that rock on which Christ built his Church and Doctrine but vpon the sandes of their human inuentions Libri Secundi Finis THE THIRD BOOKE IN VVHICH S. Austin and Luther and their doctrins are weighed together according to their qualities Set dovvne and proued in the tvvo former bookes PREFACE HItherto Gentle reader haue we shewed out of authenticall and sufficient witnesses that S Austin and Mar. Luther were the first Founders of the RomaÌ„ Catholick and Protestant religion in our English Nation and we haue put each of them with his qualities in his seuerall scale Novv it remaineth that vvith an euen hand vve lift vp the Ballance and vveighing them together iudg according to those qualities and enduements vvhich naturall reason and true prudence teach vs ought to be in a first Preacher and founder of Gods religion in a Nation whither is more likly to come from God bring his religion vvhither the contrarie CHAP. I. S. Austin and Luther weighed according to their learning How great a help learning is to discouer errors and to finde out truth and contrarie wise how great a hinderance ignorance is to attaine to truth and an ayde to lyes as a thing euident by it selfe neede no proofe HerevpoÌ„ it hath bene vsual to the Sectmaisters of all times as they are the beginners of new doctrins vnknowne to their Ancestors so to impute to them ignonoraÌ„ce and to arrogat to them selues especiall knowledg and learning by help wherof forsooth â—hey could discouer that truth which for ignoraÌ„ce their Forfathers could not finde out It was saith S. Bernard serm 65. in Cant. alwaies the trick of Hereticks to boast of singularitie of knowledg Thus the Donatists accused the rest of the world of ignorance At whome S. Austin lib. 1. cont Gaudent cap. 19. iesteth thus O dolor fraudata sunt tali magisterio tempora antiqua O sorrow that the ancient times wanted such Maisters And when the Pelagians in like sort condemned the ancient Fathers of ignorance he exclamed lib. 2. cont Iulian. cap. 10. in these words And darest thou call those blind And hath long days so confounded the highest with the lowest and shall darknes be so accounted light and light darknes that Iulian Pelagius Celestius shall see and Hilarie Ambr. Greg. be blind Yea in the time of Tertullian in the primitiue Church ther were hereticks who doubted not to impute ignorance to the Apostles them selues whome Tertul. l. de praescript refuteth thus what man well in his witts can thinck that they were ignorant of any thing whome our Lord gaue for teachers had alwaies in his company to whome he expounded aparte all obscure matters And when they bragged of their new light he merilie iesteth at them thus To these alone to these first was the truth reuealed Forsoth they obtained greater sauor and fuller grace of the Diuel And how vsuall it is with Luther and Protestants to boast of their especiall knowledg new light to impute blindnes ignorance and errors to the former ages and ancient Fathers no maÌ„ that either conuerseth with them or readeth their bookes can be ignoraÌ„t Audemus c. saith Luther wee dare glorie that Christ was first published of vs VVigand l. de Bonis Malis Germ. ascribeth to Luther such a lightening of the Articles of faith as was not known in the world since the Apostles tyme Neander lib. 8 explicat orbis teâ—â—a Fox p 416. edit 1563. Iuel Apolog Others cal him the mouth of Christ Chariot of Israel Finally some prefer him before all the Apostles but Paul as Cyriacus Spangenbergius who wil iustifie these verses Christus habet primas habeas tibi â—aule secundas At loca post illos proxima Luther habet Let Christ be fiâ—st and after him S. Paul be best But next to the Luth. deserus to go befor the rest And as Luther challengeth more light learning than the ancient Fathers so Zuinglius challengeth more light than he and Caluin than they both And in England the ProtestaÌ„ts of King Edwards time challenged more light than those of King Henries those of Queene Elizabeth more than they both and the Puritans challeng more light than the Protestant the Brownists than the Puritan till at last as his maiesty sayde of the Scottish Ministers they run madd with their light Confer at Hampt Court or râ—ther turn all into darknes of infidelitie Atheisme as dayly experieÌ„ce sheweth Wherfore to see whither indeede Luther were like to be better learned thaÌ„ S Austin Let vs compare them together according to that which hath bene tould of them S. Austin was an Italian Luther a Duch man See all these points proued befor l. 1. c. 4. l 2. c. 7. S. Austin studied in Rome when ther was there a famous Vniuersitie Luther in Wiâ—teÌ„berg places of no fame S. Austins Maister was S. Gregorie one of the fower Doctors of the Church Luthers Maister was a nameles fellow and for Protestancy he had no Maister at all vnles yow will reckon his black Maister S. Austin is not known to haue had any corporall impediment of studie Luther is known to haue had so great a one as he could scarce read three leaues together S. Austin had testimonie of S. Gregory that he waâ— repletus scientia scriptuarum full of the knowledg of scripture